Figure toy



Patented Sept. 20, 1932 FITIED; STATES PATENT orrlca,

WILLIAM 1). FERRIS, or STERLIN ILLINOIS, Assrenon r HUSTLER TOY conroimmom, or STERLING, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS FIGURE TOY Application fi1ed'March 12,19 31. Serial No. 521,929. r o

The invention relates to figure toys and particularly to mechanically operated toys simulating the forms and movements-of animals. 1

A horse and a rider, both mounted on a 1 truck, are shown and describechbut it will be understood that any animal or object may be used to employ the invention.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a structure having a body and legs which may be moved to simulate. a gallop ing horse, thus furnishing muchentertainment and amusement to both young and old.

It is one of the'objects of the invention to 5 provide a construction which employs an axle and actuating bar,.which upon movement of the truck will operate the body or torso of the horse, and also each of the legs of the horse, whether the truck is moved backward ly or forwardly, so that the horse will appear to be galloping.

While the construction is simple and is inexpensiveto manufacture, nevertheless it is sturdily and durably built towithstand' considerable rough usage. As shown the toy is of wood with portions of metal, but it will be understood that various parts of the toy may be built of either wood or metal, or other suitable material.

The invention will be explained and more readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, butit will be understood that various changes and mod ifications of which the invention is susceptible may be made without departing from the spirit of the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the horse and its rider mounted-on a truck. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the horse, rider and truck. l V Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the horse and rider mounted on a truck and a cross sectional view through the front wheels and axle on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a cross sectional view through the body of the horse and showing the body pivot and rear post or upright- Figure5 is a cross sectionalview of the horse to the top line of the longitudinalslot in the horse body, below whichthehorse is shown in elevation, and also illustrating the rider, supports and truck, showing the horse and riderin full and dotted lines to illus trate the rocking movement of the horse and rider when the toy is operated; V

Figure -6 is a cross sectional view of the toy on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detailed sectional view on the 1 line 77, shown in Figure 5 1 V Figure 8 is a view partly in section on the line 88 inFigure 5, and 7 Figure 9 is a section of the lower portion of the horse, and in separated relation to the top portion or plate of the supporting standard. 1 r

,The figure toy of the invention comprises the simulation of a horse body 10, the head 11, the front legs 12 and 18, and the rear legs 14 and 15. I a

The simulation of the rider of the horse is shown at 16. It has abody with a head formed from a cylindrical piece of wood, but it may be of any other suitable material. The rider is provided with arms-and legs which are preferably formed from stripsof metal and are permanently secured as by rivets to the body of the rider and the body of the horse. v o It will be seen that the rider is placed on the horse in a position resembling somewhat that of a jockey on a race horse. The horse, its rider and the truck'are suitably painted with colors to make the whole toy present an attractive appearance. V

The body of the horse is secured to a stand-. ard preferably of metal. This standard comprises the posts or uprights 17 and 18 having a curved supporting cross piece or plate19, firmly secured by rivets in the upper ends of the uprights .17 and 18. .As shown the posts or uprights 17 and 18 are alike and] r. are bent to receive the ends of the cross piece or plate 19, between their upper portions which are brought against the surfaces of the cross plate, and the lower portions which are bent to form the foot portions 20 and :21, respectively. y o 1091 The central portion of the cross plate 19 extends up into the slot 22, in the body of the horse, which slot extends longitudinally from end to end of the horse. The horse body is pivotally held to the cross plate 19 by means of the pivot pin 23, which extends through the body of the horse, the slot 22, and the cross plate 19. The cross plate 19 is provided at its front end with the upwardly extending projection 24 and at its rear end with the upwardly extending projection 25.

The special formation of these posts or uprights 17 and 18, is more particularly shown in Figures 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

The lower ends of the uprights l7 and 18, through the medium of their turned in foot portions 20 and 21, respectively, are securely riveted to the truck body 26; The truck body is preferably formed of metal, and has the two pairs of depending ears 27 and 28, one pair at the front and one pair at the rear. A. straight axle 29 extends through the pair of ears 27, and has mounted thereon a pair of wheels 30 and 31. An axle 32 extends through the other pair of depending ears 28,

. ulls apertures for the reception of the various pivot pins. The metallic cross portion or plate 19 is also provided with apertures for the reception of various pivot pins. The positions of these apertures are bestsho'wn in Figures 5 and 9 of the drawings, The apertures in the horse body extend through both portions of the horse body on either side of the longitudinal slot 22 into which the cross plate 19 extends.

The arcuate openings or slots 38 and 39 are in the front and rear, respectively, of the horse body- To the right of each of these areuate slots are the apertures 40 and 41.

I The central aperture 42 in the horse body is for the reception of the pivot pin 23. The central aperture 42 in the horse body registers with the aperture 43 in the cross plate 19 when the parts are in operative position. In other words, when the parts are inoperative position the pivot pin 23 is located in the apertures 42 and 43 of the horse body, and the cross plate, respectively.

The cross plate 19 is also provided with thefslots 44 and 45 which are in the upper ends of the projecting portions 24 and 25, respectively, of the plate 19. When the part'sare in operative position the arcuate s1'o't38'in the horse body registers with the sl ot 44in the extension 24, andthe areuate slot 39' registers with the slot 45 in the projecting portion 25 of the cross plate 19. It will be noted that the openings 44 and 45 are elongated while the apertures 40, 41, 42 and 43, are round apertures.

Each leg of the horse is provided with two apertures.v These apertures are round and extend entirely through each of the legs. The apertures in the front legs are shown at 46 and 47 and the aperturesin the rear legs are shown at 48 and 49. The pins 50 and 51 are placed in position in the front portion of the horse body, and pins 52 and 53 are placed in position in the rear end of the horse body. Each of the pins 50, 51, 52 and is long enough to extend entirely through the horse body and each of the legs of the pairs of legs, but preferably the pins do not extend beyond the outer surfaces of the legs so that the ends of the pins shall not catch on anything and harm it.

It will be seen that the pin 50 extends through the slot 44 of the cross plate and through the arcuate slot 38 in the horse body. The pin 52 extends through the slot 45 in the cross plate and through the ar'cuate slot 39 in the horse body. It will also be seen that the pin 51 while passing through the aperture 40 in the horse body and the apertures 47 in each of the front legs 12 does not pass through the cross plate 19, but operates in the space between the cross plate projection 24 and the central portion of the cross plate 19. The pin extends through the aperture 41 in the horse body and also through the aperture '54 of the axle operated bar 36.

The truck 26 may be constructed of metal with rolled strengthening edges or beads as shown, and may have portions'in its surface pressed to serve as guide marks for placing the posts or uprights 17 and 18. The truck is also provided with the slot 55'through which the axle operated bar 36 passes.

The figure toy may be drawn along the floor, table or other place by means of the cord 56.

When the figure toy is operated a rocking motion is imparted to the toy. There is a simulation of a horse galloping because as the rear axle 32 with'the crank portion 35 turns, it causes the bar 36 to be actuated and to raise and lower in the slot By means of the pin 53, which passes througl'i the aperture 54 at its upper end, the axle operated bar 36 also raises and lowers theyhind end of the horse body.

The axle operated bar 36 and the pin 53 also raises and lowers the pair of hind legs since the pair .of hind legs is pivotally mounted on the pin 52 which passes through the arcuate slots 39 and the slot 45. The pair of hind 'legs is not only caused to raise and lower simultaneously with the raising and lowering of the horse body but is caused to move backwardly and forwardly relatively to the movement of the horse body backwardly and forwardly. As the truck moves, either backwardly or forwardly, and the axle actuatedbar 36' moves the hind end of the horse and the legs,

it also moves the front part of the horse and the front legs, since the horse body is pivoted on the pin 23, passing through the apertures 42 and 43 in the horse body and cross plate.

respectively.

As the hind end of the horse rises and the pin 53 is at its upper position and the pin 52 is at its lowest position in the arcuate slot 39, the front portion of the horse body is in its lowest position with the pin 51 in its lowest position in the space between the projection 24 and the cross plate 19, and the pin 50 is in its highest position in the arcuate slots 38 in the horse body. When the hind end of the horse body is in its highest position and the hind pair of legs is in its most rearwardly position, the front portion of the horse is in its lowest position with thefront pair of legs in its most forwardly position. As the truck body is moved the action is such that the parts are constantly being reversed, the hind portion of the horse being firstdown and then up, and the front portion being first up and then down, and the pairs of legs being alternatelybrought toward and away from each other to the limit of their movement.

The more rapidly the truck is drawn the more rapidly the horse body and the legs move or gallop.

It will be noted that the arcuate slots 38 and 39 and the elongated slots 44 and 45 with their respective pins are constructed in such a manner that there will be smoothness and evenness of operation in the various parts of the figure.

It will also be seen that as the toy is operated the legs are free to move relatively to 7 and downwardly but that the pins 51 and 53 do move upwardly and downwardly, and

the truck and do not come in Contact therewith, that the uprights and the cross bar comprising the standard are stationary, that the pins 50 and 52 do not move upwardly also that the mechanism swings on the pivot pin as the bar 36 is operated and actuated by the axle 32.

Having thus described-the invention what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatadapted to fit into said longitudinal slot, pro

jections at the end portions of said cross plate, said projections extending into the longitudinal slot, slots in said projections, the slots in the projections registering with said transverse slots,'and pins in said slots to operate said body, and an actuating bar connectingsaid body with one of said axles through the slot in said truck and causing movement of said body on said support. 2

' 2. In a figure toy the combination of abody, said body having a longitudinal slot and transverse slots, a trucln'said truck having axles and wheels, a support intermediate said body and said truck, said support having a cross plate, a portion of the cross plate being adapted to fit into said longitudinal slot, proj ections at the end portions of said cross plate, said projections extending into said longitudinal slot, each of said projections being provided with slots, pins extending through all of said slots and said body being movable on said support.

- 3. In a figure toy the'combination of a body,

said body having a longitudinal slot and transverse slots, a truck, said truck having axles and'wheels, a support intermediate said body and said truck, said support having a cross plate, a portion of the cross plate being adapted to fit into said longitudinal slot,

slotted projections at the end-portions of said cross plate, said slotted projections extending into said longitudinal slot, a depressionin said cross plate intermediate the central portion of said cross plate and one of said slotted projections to permit the recipro cation of a pin extending through'said body,

as j

a-pin secured in said body adaptedto reeiproeate in said-depression, pins in said body and the slots of said projections, and a pivot in the central portion of said plate, said body being movable on said pivot.

4. In a figure toythe combination of a body,

said body having a longitudinal-slot extending from end to end thereof, an arcuate slot extending transversely through the front portion of said body, a second arcuate slot extending transversely through the rear portion of said body, a central pivot hole and pin holes also extending through said body, a pair of legs at the front portion of said body, another pair of legs at the rear portion of said body, a truck, said-truck having axles and wheels, a slot in'said truck, a support intermediate said body and said truck, said sup port including a cross plate, said plate hav- 7 ing end projections, slots in the upper ends of said projections, an actuating bar connecting one of said axles with said body through the I 'slotlin the truck, a pin extending through said front legs and said longitudinal, front arcuate and projection slots, a pin adjacent said first mentioned pin also extending through said legs and said body, a third pin extending through said rear legs and through the longitudinal, other arcuate and projection slots and v a r, fourth, pin extending through;-

said body, said .rean legs andithe upper and;

ofisaid ,actuatingr bar, the: body being pivotedk ona, fifth, pin;extending vthrough said body, .jeand, the, central portion of. said plate.

5.. In afigure.toythecornbination of a body, 7 said :body. haying. a longitudinal sloti extending, fronr endto, end-thereof, an, arcuate slot extending transverselythroughthe front por- Qotion ofvsaidbody, asecond arcuate slot extending transverselythrough therear portion a of said'body, a. central pivot hole. and pin holes also, extending through. said body, a pair of legs at thefront portion of said body, iganother pairof legs at the rear portion of said body, a truck, said truck, having axles and Wheels, a slot. in said truck, a, support intermediate said body and said truck, saidsupport including a cross plate, ilesaid plate having end projections, slotsin the upper endsof said projections, an actuating bar connecting one of said axle-s With said body, through the slot in the truck, a pin extending through said front legs and said E21longitudinal, front arcuate and projection slots, a pin adjacent said first mentioned pin alsoextending through said legs and said body, a third pin extending through said rear legs and throughthe longitudinal, other arcu- Qmate and projection slots, and a fourth pin extending through said body, said rearlegs and the upper end of said actuating bar, thebody being pivoted on a fifth pinextending through,-. said body and the central portion, of said mplate, said second pin being in the rear of said first pinand said fourth pin beingin the rear of said third pin, said first andthird pins beingrelatiyely-stationary andsaid second-and T fourth pins being relatively movable.

In. Witness whereof, I hereunto subscriber my name this 5th dayof March, A. D. 1931. WVILLIAM D. FERRIS 

